Trojans in the NFL: Mark Sanchez leads the Eagles to victory

Sanchez gets his chance for Philadelphia

Former USC quarterback Mark Sanchez made the most of his debut for the Philadelphia Eagles.

After starter Nick Foles was sidelined in the first quarter with a shoulder injury, Sanchez stepped in and led the Eagles to a 31-21 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium.

Sanchez completed 15 of 22 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.

“I feel very confident in Mark,” Eagles Coach Chip Kelly said during a televised news conference on Monday. “He’s always ready, and he’s always focused.”

Kelly said Foles suffered a clavicle injury and would undergo an MRI exam. No time frame was set for Foles’ return.

Palmer leads Cardinals to victory

Carson Palmer is on a roll.

Palmer led the Arizona Cardinals to a fourth consecutive victory on Sunday, overcoming a 10-point deficit to defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 28-17, at AT&T Stadium.

The Cardinals are 7-1, the best record in the NFL.

“We’re an extremely resilient group,” Palmer told reporters after the game.

Palmer completed 22 of 34 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns, with an interception.

Martin debuts for 49ers

Rookie Marcus Martin made his regular-season debut for the San Francisco 49ers.

Martin, a third-round pick, started at center in place of Daniel Kilgore, who suffered a season-ending injury.

The 49ers gave up eight sacks in a 13-10 defeat by the St. Louis Rams at Levi’s Stadium.

Coach Jim Harbaugh, when asked about Martin’s performance, said, “The team is what I’m thinking about right now.”

Martin started two seasons at left guard for USC before moving to center his final season.

Two Trojans contribute in Vikings victory

Tight end Rhett Ellison and defensive end Everson Griffen contributed to the Minnesota Vikings’ 29-26 victory over the Washington Redskins at TCF Bank Stadium.

Ellison caught four passes for 30 yards. He has nine receptions for 111 yards in his third NFL season.

Griffen, a fifth-year pro, made six tackles, including a sack.

Questions or comments about USC? Email me at [email protected] or tweet @LindseyThiry and I will respond to select emails in a weekly USC Now mailbag.